Back in the summer, I donated a photoshoot voucher to a charity auction for the BHS Eastern Region Facebook group and Janet was the highest bidder.

Janet is the East of England Development Officer for the British Horse Society. She organises all of the adult summer camps, runs the BHS stand at all of the big shows, recruits new members for the society, amongst other things. So she’s a very busy lady and we only managed to get her shoot booked in for last week.

So on a very blustery, but sunny day, with threats of hurricanes and all sorts, I travelled up to Terrington St John, in Wisbech, to attempt a shoot in gale force winds. And to help matters, the yard that Janet keeps her horse at has got to be in one of the flatest, most open spaces I have ever visited. But we managed to use the barns and tall trees to shelter us, slightly.

I seem to be on a bit of a roll with these cobby photoshoots lately, don’t I? *big grin* Pearl, Janet’s maxi cob is such a sweet girl. She has this kind, slightly worried expression that makes you just want to bundle her up and take her home. She totally melted my heart. However, I don’t think she was entirely sure what the point of our shoot was. She just kept looking at us as if to say, ‘Remind me again, why are we doing this?’ That is, until Janet tacked her up and pointed her at the fallen log… she certainly came into her own then. And for anyone who thinks cobs are ploddy and sedate, Pearl could certainly show you a thing or two to disprove that myth!

Janet and Pearl clearly have an unbreakable bond. “She is my horse of a lifetime,” Janet told me, as she was tacking up. Whilst Pearl wasn’t the posiest of ponies I have ever come across, she was certainly one of the cuddliest. She was so affectionate and really did visibly snuggle into Janet, every time she gave her a hug. As you can see from these photographs, the mutual adoration is so evident!

I love when I can really feel a true connection between a horse and their human. It makes me so inspired and I could photograph them all day without getting bored. I feel what is almost a desperation to capture the relationship and do it justice. It just makes my job even more rewarding. So, big thank you to Janet and Pearl for having me, and for letting me document your undeniably close partnership.